Baby Yoda tops entries in Kelso on Saturday

By NY Hot List Staff | Friday, October 28, 2022

The change of venue for fall racing in New York from Belmont Park to Aqueduct was fairly seamless with a few minor exceptions. One can be seen in the final weekend of the meet with Saturday’s running of the Kelso Handicap. Previously run in late September at Belmont, it was moved to Saturday to make it a better prep for the Cigar Mile. As a result, a field of six turned up for the race, including the favorite of Star Wars fans, Baby Yoda. 

Here’s the Hot List picks for the Kelso Handicap:

The $300,000 Kelso (G2) – Belmont at Aqueduct, Saturday, Race 5.

(2) Empty Tomb returned from a 10 month layoff to win a top level allowance at Delaware Park just three weeks ago. He hit the board in five starts at Aqueduct in the past and now gets Irad Ortiz on board for the first time. (3) Morello won the first three starts in his career at Aqueduct going from a maiden win as a 2-year-old to the Jimmy Winkfield and then the Gotham (G3) in March of this year. Trainer Steve Asmussen gave him some time off after he tried the Wood (G2) and the Woody Stephens (G1). He was off from June and then returned as a winner of an allowance sprint at Laurel earlier this month. (6) Baby Yoda is frequently overbet because of his name. He was a 10-length winner of an allowance at BAQ recently, but he has not done well when he stepped up to graded stakes company. (1) Shackqueenking won his last three starts at Delaware Park in two-turn races in a pair of allowances and then a restricted stakes race while pressing the early pace.

The rest of the NY Hot List picks and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.